


worse things could happen at the sea

by fatalesam (bitehard)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Camping, M/M, very light internalized homofobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 17:03:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13745427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitehard/pseuds/fatalesam
Summary: It’s Oikawa’s idea, of course, who else could think something like that? Oikawa, who’s seen too many films about aliens that appear in the woods and too many about friends that make bonfires and share camping tents. It seems like it’s not enough making them meet for the Hanami, no, they have to spend a night outdoors.





	worse things could happen at the sea

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Peores cosas pasan en el mar](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8188210) by [bitehard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitehard/pseuds/bitehard). 



> My inspiration for new fics is comatose so I translated another one of mine to practice writing in English. I hope you like it!

It’s Oikawa’s idea, of course, who else could think something like that? Oikawa, who’s seen too many films about aliens that appear in the woods and too many about friends that make bonfires and share camping tents. It seems like it’s not enough making them meet for the Hanami, no, they have to spend a night outdoors.

Shigeru thinks that it doesn’t matter, for a change, if any of them gets sick for the next days. They have lost this season: there is no match left for them to play.

*

And, of course, Oikawa starts complaining halfway. “I didn’t know it would be so far away, Iwa-chan, how much time has it been, a hundred years?” and Iwaizumi looks at him with a face that anyone would be afraid of but Oikawa ignores it like it’s nothing. “How about you carry me on your ba-”

“Not even say it, Shittikawa. You walk, as everyone else do.”

Everyone else being Shigeru, Matsukawa, Hanamaki and, to his own disgrace, Kyoutani. Most of Seijo is already on holidays and the first-years are more hopeful than them to get the championship next year. 

Shigeru knows that the place left by Oikawa is going to make it much harder for them. In less than a month Oikawa and Iwaizumi will leave for the uni and they will stay and…

There is a locker in Aoba Johsai that has the shape of Kyoutani’s fist. To ease his wrath was necessary a very whisper-y and surprisingly long talk from Iwaizumi. He couldn’t hear what was being said but Kyoutani seemed less guilty afterwards.

A point is nothing, in the grand scheme of things, even if at the moment it cost them a whole set. Shigeru didn’t want to tell him anything, because he didn’t regret what he had done, but he thought about it for a moment, when he saw him like that, brow furred, eyes red with no tears and bloody knuckles.

He didn’t expect Kyoutani to come but he should have predicted it. He is close to Iwaizumi, trying to overtake him when he doesn’t expect it.

“Kyoutani, you are going to get tired and you won’t be able to keep up with me.“ Iwaizumi has a special mocking tone, very subtle and recognizable only if you’ve spent time with him. He finds Kyoutani endearing and it shows.

“Nah” Kyoutani shoots back, and touches his own neck. Shigeru cannot avoid the look he gives to the soft skin in his nape, but doesn’t matter because no one is looking. “My parents live far from high school. I’m used to it, senpai, I can win you at this”.

It would have seem impossible but he is able to furrow his brows even more, and he walks faster. Iwaizumi smiles and allows Kyoutani to pass him, just a little, just because he knows he can make his move whenever he wants it and overcome him.

Shigeru hates himself, but he looks at Kyoutani, again. The muscles in his calfs are strong and they show in every step, every root they avoid. A slim layer of sweat covers his neck and, although he is carrying a tent and double the weight Shigeru carries, he moves with swiftness.

Shigeru hates this. He likes sports, controlling things. Walking is boring.

He is trying to think on a way to ask how much time is left and not come as whiny as Oikawa when suddenly the mud moves under his feet and his ankle twists; he is just able to stop the fall with his hands. It’s almost a miracle that he doesn’t end up eating the ground.

He swears under his breath and Oikawa is near him within the second. He expects to see laughing faces and prepares accordingly but he doesn’t make it, because when he tries to stand the pain makes him sit on his sorry ass.

“Wait, dammit, Yahaba-chan. Lemme look”.

“Drop it, Oikawa, you couldn’t tell an injury apart from an apple”, says Iwaizumi, his expression dark and worried.

“Well, sorry but when I had one…”

“You kept on fucking training for weeks. So back off”.

Oikawa bites his lip, and lets him be. Plus, Iwaizumi has already expressed his wish to study something related to physicals, so Shigeru, really, trusts him.

From above, Kyoutani is looking at him, annoyed for being forced to stop, it seems. It’s no surprise, as Kyoutani always seems annoyed for any reason. Breathing. Training. Shigeru. Specially the last one. 

Iwaizumi talks.

“It’s ok, I think. Just the pain of the hit, although it would be nice not to walk much. And you should go to a _real_ doctor”.

“So… we could go back?”, says Matsukawa, with a hopeful face that fools no one.

The thing is, despite everything, he knows that Oikawa wants this. And, so, Shigeru wants this.

“If it’s not much, I can make it”

“About twenty minutes. They are going to kill us if we injure you, even if we are not students there anymore.” Shigeru gives a little try at the ground and nods. “Ok. We don’t have ice, but there is a river near the place, and should be still cold enough to help.”

“Do you need help, Yahaba-chan?”

He stands and the pain is there but he can make it.

They start walking again and he is fine for some time. Should be only five or ten minutes more, he thinks, looking at his phone. He knows they are going slowly now; the previous race forgotten for his sake. He looks at the ground, to avoid any other accident, and it’s because of that he takes too many time noticing Kyoutani on his side.

He stops Shigeru putting a hand on his chest, and everyone just stares. Kyoutani looks him in the eye, stil his hand unmoved just right to his heart; Shigeru is only able to say a weakened “what…”. Kyoutani’s look is intense, always too intense, and the forest seems to hold his breath just before he talks.

“Don’t walk anymore”.

And then, as crazy at it sounds, he turns, kneels down before him and and shows his hands back. Shigeru opens his mouth, but no sound comes out, he looks at Oikawa as he fails to hide his smile.

“Come on, Yahaba-chan, we don’t have all day”. The fucker.

Kyoutani is still there and drawing out the moment is only making it more awkward; so Shigeru puts his hands on Kyoutani’s shoulders, jumps gracelessly on his good foot and clings to his hips with his legs. Kyoutani stands and gives a couple of accommodating hops. Shigeru must be red as a ballon because he can feel himself burning, he is _vibrating_ , he can feel the muscles of his back on his own chest.

“You are even lighter than you look”.

He feels offended but he can’t say anything because Oikawa screams.

“Iwa-chan, carry me too!”.

*  
The rest of the way is short but excruciating for Shigeru. It’s not just the humiliation of being carried but the fact that he is liking it. At first he tries to move a little away but Kyoutani grows the second time he has to stop because he almost falls back so he ends up almost hugging him, he can feel the heat from his neck on his.

It’s like a torture, but a _nice_ torture.

They make it, fina-fucking-ly, Kyoutani kneels and Shigeru can feel the faint tremor before he drops down. Kyoutani is sweating slightly and he wants to say “sorry” or “thank you”, but Kyoutani doesn’t give him a chance, takes the tent hanging in his arm and starts assembling it. 

He is able to make it in minutes, just as Iwaizumi finishes with his. Matsukawa and Hanamaki still haven’t start with theirs.

He needs to do something.

“Hey, Iwaizumi-san, where is that river you talked about?”

“Just follow that path, it’s very close. Just put it underwater for a little, it should be better in no time”.

He can walk almost normal now so he goes alone; he needs a minute to sort his thoughts. He is all over the place when he is near Kyoutani and this has been just too much. 

He takes off the shoe and sock and looks at it. The ankle is swollen and dark, but he can move it in all angles, so there is that. He puts the foot at once inside the water.

And takes it out at the moment, with a very undignified little scream.

“Fuck it’s cold”. 

He listens at someone laughing and he turns. It takes some seconds to Kyoutani to be aware that he is still smiling and Shigeru marvels because it’s not a huge smile; just a bare lips movement but it’s so _rare_. Kyoutani is always mad at the world and his smiles are agressive, like an animal baring his teeth.

“It’s freezing, ok, you put _your_ foot there”, he says as Kyoutani sits beside him. “What are you doing here?”

He growls, the good mood already gone. 

“Oikawa has thrown me away, because Matsukawa was asking for help for their tent. Oikawa says that they have to build theirs or they will have to sleep on the ground”.

Shigeru nods, and looks at the cold water with apprehension. He puts the big toe out, not entering the water yet.

Kyoutani growls _again_. He is the least patient person in the world. 

“C’mon, delicate flower, I’m sure is not so much. Just put it inch by inch”, and he grabs his leg by the shin.

He pushes down and the big toe enters the water followed by all the others . Shigeru thinks that it’s going to be cut off after this but Kyoutani’s hand is merciless and he lets his leg descend until it’s all underwater.

He sighs when the unkle is cold too and they stay like that, in a silence that is not awkward until Shigeru is aware of it and the hand that is still on his leg.

He makes the mistake of looking at him and catches Kyoutani with his eyes piercing him.

He takes off his hand and blushes violently. 

Shigeru tries thinks of something, anything to say because Kyoutani seems like he is going to explode and it’s like the line between shame and anger is a thin one. But he can’t, not yet, because they are still looking at each other (so, so intense) and he is so red and so handsome and he is a savage and Shigeru wants to kiss him.

He wants to but he can’t, no when the best case scenario is a rejection and the worst is a punch and he is not stupid, Kyoutani would win. 

Finally, his useless brain provides him with something to say.

“It doesn’t look like it’s your first time camping”. 

It takes some seconds but Kyoutani processes what it’s listening and sounds relieved when he talks.

“Where I leave it’s all this little isolated houses. When I was younger it was usual for some of the kids to go camping with parents”.

It’s funny to imagine a tiny, annoyed Kyoutani. 

“If you can make a campfire without danger of setting the forest on fire, Oikawa is going to love you”.

Kyoutani snorts.

“Or you can use it to win Iwaizumi at it”.

“Nah, that doesn’t count. We have to be good at it the two of us”.

He isn’t looking at him (he is trying to make sure his foot is still attached to his leg, in fact), but he can see him smiling a little, from the corner of his eye. 

He cannot, for the life of him, feel anything on his foot but there is something, warm and heavy, around his heart. 

*

Shigeru knows it’s gonna happen but nothing can prepare him when they are distributing the tents and he listens that he is going to share one with Kyoutani. 

They put the sleeping bags and it’s clear the tent is too small. It’s just the same as the others but they are different, they almost don’t know each other. The avoid each other when trying to accomodate the bags; knowing it’s impossible. Shigeru is going to have a stroke if they touch each other again. 

When the night comes, Kyoutani makes a bonfire in an already prepared little place. It’s on need of rocks, to avoid problemas, and of course Iwaizumi and him turn it into a competition. They end up having so many rocks and so big they can use some of them as places to sit on. 

Hanamaki complains about the lack of alcohol, as if any of them would drink with their tight schedule and hard training. Shigeru wonders if Kyoutani, with all of his bad attitude, would do that; but Oikawa says that there are minors, Iwaizumi says “and what are you, stupid?” and the topic is dropped. They tell scary stories like children and burn cotton candies as they do in american films. It’s sticky and childish and Kyoutani says he hates it but he eats some anyway, so Shigeru doesn’t believe him.

It’s two in the morning when someone looks up and all are aware of the millions of stars they can see, it’s like the sky is different from the one in their own towns.

“I hate having to leave high school”, says Oikawa, suddenly. “First, I don’t want to go to uni, and second, we should have win the match with Shiratorizawa before we left. No, my god, no Tobio-chan the stupid”. 

There is a tension that wasn’t there before; all seem more awake than two minutes ago. No one dares to talk.

“You are responsible for doing it next year. Or I will come back and hunt you all. Well, it will be Iwa-chan the one to hunt you when I command him to”.

“Like hell you are going to command me to do anything, Shittikawa”.

Oikawa doesn’t even look at him, and Iwaizumi doesn’t complain.

“Next year Ushiwaka won’t be on the team”.

Oikawa laughs, a rather cynical laugh that doesn’t match up the look in his eyes.

“Don’t underestimate Shiratorizawa because they will eat you alive if you do so, Yahaba-chan”. 

“I wasn’t trying to…”

“I know.” Oikawa doesn’t let him finish. “Just be careful. I think our team will be strong and you, little Yahaba-chan, you can make it. But you have to learn to see the potential in people”.

Shigeru looks at Kyoutani for a second, but Oikawa doesn’t say anything else. He keeps looking at the stars.

Matsukawa fakes a yawn, Hanamaki fakes one of his own, Iwaizumi rolls his eyes.

“Come on, let’s go to sleep before Oikawa starts saying stupid things again”.

They put out the embers left in the fire and go, almost in complete silence, to their tents and sleeping bags. His foot almost doesn’t hurt anymore, thank god, and the cold has done his job and it’s not swollen anymore, so he enters his sleeping bag and tries to ignore Kyoutani’s quiet breathing.

*

After some time that could go from thirty minutes to two hours, Shigeru has to accept he is not going to fall asleep. He keeps rolling around and he’s sure there is a rock, or thirty, under his mat because it’s physically impossible to be so uncomfortable. And he keeps thinking in Oikawa’s words.

Oikawa seems to ignore the most important thing: Shigeru is not him. His ability to read people, how he compensated each one’s faults and made them do what he wanted. How Oikawa was able to inspire all of them to give their last breath for the team, for _him_ , was beyond his reach.

“Are you going to stop moving? What’s the matter?

Kyoutani doesn’t talk. He barks.

“It’s nothing”, Shigeru answers, and gets up, sleeping bag and everything, and goes out the tent. The air is cold but relaxing, he feels he can actually breath. 

He sits in a rock that seems to be dry and hugs his knees. The forest is silent for a moment, and then the natural sounds come back. The breeze is moving the branches above him when he hears movement in his tent, and then the zipper. He sits beside him in silence and looks at him, frowning. Shigeru sighs, because the silence is unbearable. 

“I think Oikawa-san thinks I can be the next… Oikawa-san. And that’s impossible, I can’t… it’s too much”.

He looks at Kyoutani’s profile, as the moon is just to his side. It’s a pretty profile; he would like to follow it with his finger. 

This… attraction isn’t within his control anymore, he knows, and he can’t know why. He doesn’t even like him very much. Kyoutani is an absurdity, an anomaly, always fighting, always missing, always frowning. 

“Oikawa thinks that you can be a good captain, but not like him. You are different. For starters,” Shigeru tries to talk but Kyoutani speaks again before he can say anything, “Oikawa wouldn’t have pushed me against a fucking wall”.

He should feel ashamed. He is not.

“Are you saying that I should hit you all to get your attention?”

“That was not to hit. Not for me, at least”.

He is an asshole and Shigeru doesn’t stand him. 

“Hey, Kyoutani.”

“Hmm?”, is his answer. Is like he is being charged for each word.

“Do you think I could be a good captain?”

Shigeru doesn’t know if he should be asking him but he also knows that if he asks it to someone with a real friendship, like Watari, he is going to be lied. Or maybe not, but he would not believe it anyway. Kyoutani scratches his nose and shrugs. 

Shigeru waits for the “no” and holds his breath.

“I wouldn’t oppose, if you keep making me score. I could not beat Iwaizumi this year but I will do it. If you are going to be the captain, I’m going to be the ace.“

He is looking at the sky, hands behind him, eyes almost closed.

Shigeru smiles.

“That’s only fair”. 

He rearranges himself in the bag and moves his hand, he puts it, of course, just on top of Kyoutani’s. He should take it out but it’s just too late, because Kyoutani is looking at him.

He tries to start talking but Is unable to say anything from “I…”, because Kyoutani is not doing anything, he is there just looking at him and it’s too pretty and the moon shines up them and there are too many stars. Shigeru could almost laugh at the cliche because he _knows_ , suddenly, what is going to happen. His surprise changes into another thing, just as fast.

Kyoutani licks his lips and breathes as he moves to put them on top of Shigeru’s, warm and wet. Shigeru’s mind takes a couple of seconds to process it and, when he kisses him back, he can feel Kyoutani relaxing against him, he can feel the relief he was feeling at the same time. Shigeru raises his hand to his buzzed head, caresses his nape. He sinks his fingers there and opens his mouth at the same time, and the first touch of tongues is an electric shock, a storm inside him.

Kyoutani growls, a different one but so _him_ that something inside Shigeru burns.

It’s been only seconds, minutes, but he is out of breath when he whispers, “maybe better inside”, and signs to the other tents just there.

Kyoutani nods and they scramble to the inside, he throws the bag as he can. They close the zip so they kill as much sound as possible and there is this awkward pause, both trying to get used to the darkness and look at each other. Shigeru barely remembers his numb ankle now that all the blood in his body is focused in just one point. 

Shigeru is the one that draws them both together this time and they kiss, it’s wetter, still awkward but despite that (or maybe because of that) is so fucking good Shigeru could die right there. Almost by mistake they move their hips at the same time and their crotches touch; Kyoutani fucking melts in Shigeru’s arms and a moan escapes his lips. 

Kyoutani looks at him, like checking it it has been too much, but Shigeru can’t understand how could this be enough; so he puts his hands on Kyoutani’s hips and the thumbs just under the pajamas.

The fabric is too thin, they can feel everything. Shigeru pushes him, slowly, until he is on top of Kyoutani and he could stop, he could just stop slowing and then go to sleep but he asks, because if Kyoutani wants, well, he wants too. 

“Everything alright?”, he asks, because he is not sure he can read Kyoutani on this situation and he doesn’t want to screw this up but he wants him. He is so done with wanting and not having anything. He should want i, he should want girls but wants this, dammit.

“Shut up”, Kyoutani answers, and his hands are on his back, down, down until he reaches his ass and puts them under the fabric. He bites him, the neck, the clavicles, he sucks and licks and drags the teeth on his skin. Shigeru is moaning, low, as he thrusts against his hips and puts his hands on the sides of his face, he looks at every inch of it and for a moment he cannot believe how right it feels, how good, after thinking something was wrong with him. 

He reaches his limit just then, because it’s everything, Kyoutani’s hands in his back, the calluses in his fingers against his skin, his face, always so angry and beautiful, he cannot hold it anymore and leans on Kyoutani’s shoulder and comes whispering his name. 

Kyoutani is almost there, or so it can gather when he holds him tight and thrusts his hips fast, breathes on his ear with a low sound. Shigeru makes the supreme effort of tensing his leg and rises his head, so he can look at him. 

He kisses Kyoutani and he comes just there and he can feel everything everywhere, from his lips and the uncoordinated kiss Kyoutani tries to return him to the wet heat in his leg when he finishes.

Shigeru moves for a second to take a couple of tissues that he is sure his mom put there this morning. He finds them and gives one to Kyoutani. It’s too awkward, too cold, and he starts laughing like an idiot.

“I’m sorry”, he says when Kyoutani raises his brows,”It’s just… fuck. It’s too much. Oikawa and Iwaizumi are right there, oh my god”. 

“Asshole”, says Kyoutani, and he pushes him until he is lying down beside him. 

They stay like that, listening to the sound of the cicadas around them. He starts falling asleep and almost doesn’t hear Kyoutani when he speaks, “Next time we’ll be alone”. 

He whispers “Ok” and smiles like an idiot, and he feels safe enough to extend his hand until he touches Kyoutani’s. He takes it, and they fall asleep like that. 

*

“EVERYBODY, UP, UP, UP!”, screams Oikawa, running outside and giving thuds to the tent. Shigeru and Kyoutani wake up and hastily separate themselves when they realize how they are sleeping. “IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE AWAKE!”, he keeps going, and Shigeru realizes he has slept like, four hours.

There is no need to talk it out, they change clothes back to back. It’s stupid, because they have seen each other thousands of times before, in the lockers, but there is something different now between them. 

Shigeru goes out first, with probably a serious case of bedhead. Oikawa has a box of cookies, presumably for breakfast.

“Ah, Yahaba-chan? I heard someone going out last night? Did you too?”

Shigeru, who is a very bad liar, knows that the only thing he can do is say something like the truth. 

“It was me, you know, I had to…”

It hits him, right there: Oikawa knows. He doesn’t know how, but he knows. He smiles the evilest smile Shigeru has seen. 

“Of course, of course. It was just, you know, there are mad dogs around here. Be careful”. 

If he heard him, Shigeru thinks, he is going to leave the school, and volleyball, and Japan, out of shame.

Iwaizumi calls for him. “I want to check out your ankle”, he says. Everything is confusing. 

“It doesn’t hurt anymore”. 

“Come on, Yahaba, come here”. 

Everything is _very_ confusing. 

He sits right before him and whispers.. 

“I really hope you brought another t-shirt, if Hanamaki and Matsukawa see your neck like that, no one is going to be able to put up with them. 

Shigeru blushes, almost hysteric, and takes out his cell. Puts on the camera and of fucking course just above the line on the t-shirt there is a half red half purple mark. 

He looks in panic and Iwaizumi shakes his head, as if he doesn’t want to know anything. “Please don’t tell me anything. To the tent. Fast”.

He enters it and Kyoutani is still inside, he frowns until Yahaba sighs and shows him the mark and then, then, the damn bastard smiles.

“I hate you.”

“It’s small”. 

He looks for another t-shirt and thank god (and his mother) for putting it there. He changes right there, without thinking about it and when he looks up to ask if anything shows now, Kyoutani is looking at him with something like hunger and forgets what was he doing. 

“Don’t look at me like that”, he says, but is not what he is thinking. 

“Why not?”, is Kyoutani’s answer, and he draws him and kisses him and Shigeru lets him until Oikawa moves the whole tent with a slap from the outside, startling them both. 

“I will send you Iwa-chan if I must!”.

Shigeru moves away and asks about the mark. Kyoutani confirms nothing shows right now but, when Shigeru gets himself ready to go out, Kyoutani doesn’t. 

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Yeah just… gimme a couple of minutes”, he says, blushing. Shigeru looks down and then smiles, kisses him fast.

“You deserve it”.

“I am going to kill you”. 

Shigeru ignores it and leaves the tent, smiling like a mad person. Or maybe, just maybe, like a mad dog.


End file.
